COSAM Supports Removing Restrictions on SSPs in Denver

On December 4th, the Colorado Society of Addiction Medicine (COSAM) sent a letter to members of the Denver City Council in support of a proposal to remove restrictions on syringe service programs (SSPs) in the city. Specifically, the proposal would remove restrictions on SSPs from operating within 1,000 feet of schools and daycares.

In the letter, COSAM briefly recapped the background behind the current policy which effectively limits the number of SSPs in the city. COSAM argued that these restrictions lack basis according to public health and public safety concerns. Specifically, COSAM noted that these restrictions likely increase the number of people in the city who contract bloodborne diseases like HIV and hepatitis C and the number of people who experience fatal opioid overdose. Further, COSAM emphasized that the policy conflicts with the Governor’s goals of increasing access to SSPs, as evidenced by the generous funding allocated to these programs. In turn, COSAM expressed support for city council members proposing to remove this restriction in the city.

Read the letter here.